QMI AGENCY

The Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman will be out 7-10 days after reportedly suffering a broken toe in Tuesday's 1-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

Letang, who leads all defencemen with 28 points, was just activated from IR on Tuesday after missing four games because of a lower-body injury.

The Pens recalled defenceman Simon Despres from the AHL to take his place on the roster. Despres has 10 points for Pittsburgh this season in 24 games.

Meanwhile, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is dealing with a sore back and missed the third period of Tuesday's win.

VANEK SUFFERS INJURY IN LOSS

Buffalo Sabres leading scorer Thomas Vanek is unsure if he will play on Thursday against the Florida Panthers.

Vanek suffered an upper-body muscle strain against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, but interim head coach Ron Rolston is not ruling him out just yet, according to the Buffalo News.

Drew Stafford, a healthy scratch the last two games, took Vanek's spot on a line with Tyler Ennis and Ville Leino at practice Wednesday in Sunrise, Fla.

Vanek has 16 goals and 33 points in 29 games this season.

MORE BAD NEWS FOR FLYERS

The Philadelphia Flyers are down another man.

Defenceman Andrej Meszaros re-injured his left shoulder near the end of Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers.

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren says Meszaros, who was placed on injured reserve, will be out of the lineup indefinitely.

The Flyers recalled Erik Gustafsson from the AHL to replace Meszaros in the lineup.

This latest setback comes on the heels of Danny Briere's concussion diagnosis that will see the forward possibly miss the rest of the season.

BRUINS CLAIM DAUGAVINS OFF WAIVERS

The Daug has been given a new leash on life.

Senators winger Kaspars Daugavins will be taking his act to Beantown after he was picked up on waivers by the Boston Bruins Wednesday.

Oddly enough, it was against the Bruins that Daugavins tried his nifty shootout move by holding the puck with his stick upside down before attempting a spin-o-rama on Boston goalie Tuukka Rask in Ottawa March 11.

Daugavins, 24, had one goal and two assists with nine penalty minutes in 19 games with the Senators this season.

In 85 career NHL games, Daugavins has 14 points.

HURRICANES' JOKINEN GOES UNCLAIMED

It looks like there is no market for Jussi Jokinen.

The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't find a team to take the struggling forward off their hands after he cleared waivers on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old has plummeted on the team's depth chart, registering just five goals and five assists in 30 games this season.